In-door Pool Enclosure included in GLA?

[AnnaE]

I typically don't include pool enclosures in GLA, but this appraisal is for a divorce and I want to be able to defend myself if called to testify, so I'm curious what you all do. This is for a residence, in case that is not clear.
Thanks!

 

[dobie]

I believe there was another recent thread on this subject. Do a search.

 

[Dan/Fla]

I have only done 1 indoor pool as included in square footage. It was a very large home and from the outside of the home, you never would have known there was pool inside the home. Enclosure blending with the home exterior so does not have the appearance, of an addition. With same type of heating and cooling as the main living area has. If home is central and the room with pool is central. And from the exterior the pool area blends, I am sure you could win the reasoning making it part of living area.

 

[larryrebecca]

Pool

Part of the living area............its air conditioned and heated space like a sunroom or enclosed patio............

 

[Caterina Platt]

AnnaE,

Can you post your sketch? That might be helpful. I have only included one, and have done a handful of these. These rooms actually have a name - natatorium. (learned that from one of our knowledgeable posters here).

In my case where I included the area, it was a centrally located room that had to be utilized for access to 3 of the 4 bedrooms and one of the baths. I couldn't 'wall off' the natatorium and retain functional access to the rest of the sleeping quarters and bath. It also was finished, heated, cooled, had a high ceiling with tongue and groove/beams, skylights, and solar equipment that helped heat other portions of the home.

In others that I've run across, the natatorium wasn't such an integral part of the floorplan and were it not to exist, the remainder of the floorplan would still function. In those cases, I didn't include it in the living area.

 

[Tom McClure]

I respectfullly disagree. In my area, a pool enclosure has less appeal than in other parts of the country. I don't believe a heated pool enclosure should be considered livable area, due to limited function and limited use of this area. In addition, adding this area to normal livable area would cause an unwarranted adjustment. I think I would make a line adjustment for heated pool enclosure, with all necessary comments in the appraisal and hopefully a comp or two with similar amenity.

Tom McClure
Ohio

 

[Webbed Feet]

I typically don't include pool enclosures in GLA, but this appraisal is for a divorce and I want to be able to defend myself if called to testify, so I'm curious what you all do. This is for a residence, in case that is not clear.
Thanks!

Ms. Anna

I feel you should start to consider what motivates you to finally decide to ask questions about your appraisal practices. While it is good you are finally asking, it is not so good it took an assignment involving possibly going to court to get you to start to wonder what other appraisers do.

Maybe you should consider "defending" yourself sooner on more issues than this one. The problem, and mission, is not so much if inclusion in GLA or not is the end all to your problem. It's more about consistancy, proving you properly reflected market reaction, and compared apples to apples instead of apples to oranges.

Webbed.